The present invention relates to an area defense mine of the type comprising an orientable launch tube to launch a projectile at some bearing angle and an observation system to detect a target in the effective area of the mine. The projectile contains at least one explosive charge, an arrangement for rotating the projectile around one axis thereof, and a target detection device.
In general, an area defense mine allows a target such as a tank to be attacked within a radius of a few tens to a few hundreds of meters, the radius sweeping a surface area corresponding to the effective area or operational range of the mine.
To attack a target, one generally envisages a mine with an omnidirectional or directional attack system.
In an omnidirectional attack system, a detection device carried on board the projectile sweeps the total effective area of the mine. The projectile is generally fired vertically and made to spin about a vertical axis so that the projectile detection device sweeps the ground in a spiral-shaped curve called a footprint. The mine is then used in the short-range operating mode, namely the radius of action of the mine is a few tens of meters.
A mine with an omnidirectional attack system is described in particular in document FR-2,641,071 which relates to a projectile self-propelled by an improved rocket engine.
In a directional attack system, the detection device carried on board the projectile sweeps only a sector of the effective area of the mine, so that the mine's observation system must first determine the bearing angle of the target in order for the projectile launch tube to be oriented at this angle. The projectile is generally fired at an angle of elevation between 45.degree. and 60.degree.. The projectile moves along a curved trajectory and its detection device sweeps the ground in a curve corresponding to the combination of a spiral and the projection onto the ground of the velocity vector of the projectile. In this case, the mine is used in a medium-range operating mode, i.e., the action radius of the mine is on the order of a few hundred meters.
A mine of this type is described in particular in document FR-2,607,585 where the projectile is self-propelled and made to spin about the roll axis, and in document FR-2,646,232 where the projectile is self-propelled and made to spin about an axis identical to the projectile launch axis.